Evaluating Marx

Marx

Opium of the People

Alienation

Oppressive

Communism

religion is a form of alienation from one's true self; religion is about mythological beliefs and an unreal God that distract the people from their own reality, meaning you are unable to be yourself and relate to the world

argued against the Christian teaching about heaven and hell that helps people to cope with the situation they were in, if it were a bad one, it would guarantee that people doing bad things would be punished eschatologically, he argues that people would be better off without religion (like drug addicts) so that they can just deal with their problems

Marx argued that religion is an aid for oppression, the Church's role in society promoting rules of society only controls the masses to behave in the way the people in power want them to

religion was supposed to serve the people but instead the capitalist power and corrupt church used it to make the people serve the people in power and manipulate the people's views, so instead proposed communism which the ideals of communism and institute a new society with no private property, no economic classes and no profits. Communism differs form socialism, though the two have similarities

religion arguably makes people do good, can be a great source of strength, hope and comfort. Sociologists since Marx have shown that religious belief and practice can aid people through difficult situations like war

He did not accept that for many religion is not a self indulgent comfort like drugs. Religious people argue that their faith is a relationship with God, not a dependency, God is real and not a product of society

In many situations religion has been a force for change in society, not a method of control. Martin Luther King Jr fought for black people's civil rights in the USA and his belief in equality stemmed from a Christian faith

When Marx's ideas have been put into practice, such as in Russia under Lenin or China under Chairman Mao, they did not necessarily bring happiness to people, but rather caused much suffering

Howard Zinn, said that Marx saw religion more as a 'sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, the soul of souls conditions" rather than the opium of the people